TB-L Archives

May 2007

TB-L@LISTSERV.ONEONTA.EDU

Options: Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Jim Greenberg <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Teaching Breakfast List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 16 May 2007 12:42:04 -0400
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (294 lines)
TBers:

The posting below is a substantial look at how to encourage  
transformational learning in your students .  It is by Kelly  
McGonigal, Ph.D. and is from the newsletter, Speaking  of Teaching,  
produced by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Stanford  
University , http://ctl.stanford.edu/Newsletter/  Spring 2005, Vol.  
14, No.2. Speaking of Teaching is compiled and edited by CTL  
Associate Director Mariatte Denman at [mdenman@ stanford.edu.]  
Reprinted with permission.



	 Teaching for Transformation:  From Learning Theory to Teaching  
Strategies

No matter what you teach, you face the challenge of bringing students  
from point A- what they currently know-to point B-the learning goals  
of a course. In many courses, the distance between points A and B is  
huge, and the path is not obvious. Students must not only acquire new  
skills and information, but also radically transform their approach  
to thinking and learning. This newsletter explores theories and  
teaching strategies that address this universal teaching challenge.

The Challenge

Even though students may have no experience in your class or your  
field, they enter your classroom with a long history of academic  
training and life experience. For this reason, presenting new  
information is not enough to guarantee optimal learning. Students  
must recognize the limitations of their current knowledge and  
perspectives. This means that you cannot simply unload your knowledge  
on students. What is required is a true transformation of students'  
existing knowledge.

Instructors from all fields face this challenge. In the sciences and  
mathematics, it is common for students to have learned an  
oversimplified definition or approach in high school. Students making  
the shift from classical to modern physics, for example, cannot  
simply layer new information onto old understanding. In the  
humanities, students may, for the first time, be asked to develop  
original interpretations of texts or to consider conflicting  
interpretations of texts instead of seeking the one, instructor- 
approved, "correct" interpretation. This new approach must replace  
the approach that students have learned, practiced, and been rewarded  
for. In the social sciences, instructors often have the difficult job  
of helping students unlearn common sense beliefs that may be common  
but unjustified. In all these cases, students' previous knowledge  
must be completely revised, not merely augmented.

Transformative Learning Theory

Transformative learning theory (see Mezirow, 1997) addresses this  
common teaching challenge. The theory describes the conditions and  
processes necessary for students to make the most significant kind of  
knowledge transformation: paradigm shift, also known as perspective  
transformation. Mezirow (1991, p. 167) describes perspective  
transformation as: ...the process of becoming critically aware of how  
and why our assumptions have come to constrain the way we perceive,  
understand, and feel about our world; changing these structures of  
habitual expectation to make possible a more inclusive,  
discriminating, and integrating perspective; and finally, making  
choices or otherwise acting upon these new understandings.

Transformative learning is in clear contrast to the more common  
process of assimilative learning, the type of learning that takes  
place when students simply acquire new information that can easily  
fit into their preexisting knowledge structures. Whereas some college- 
level courses are aimed at assimilative learning, most courses  
require at least some level of transformative learning.

According to transformative learning theory, paradigm shift/ 
perspective transformation is the result of several conditions and  
processes:

1. an activating event that exposes the limitations of a student's  
current knowledge/approach;

2. opportunities for the student to identify and articulate the  
underlying assumptions in the student's current knowledge/approach;

3. critical self-reflection as the student considers where these  
underlying assumptions came from, how these
assumptions influenced or limited understanding;

4. critical discourse with other students and the instructor as the  
group examines alternative ideas and approaches;

5. opportunities to test and apply new perspectives.

When these processes occur, students are more likely to revise their  
underlying assumptions, adopt a new paradigm, and apply this new  
paradigm (Cranton, 2002).

Transformative learning theory also recognizes that changing one's  
perspective is not simply a rational process. Being forced to  
consider, evaluate, and revise underlying assumptions can be an  
emotionally charged experience. Students have successfully used their  
current paradigms to excel in school and understand the world. They  
may reasonably be reluctant to abandon what they believe is the right  
way to think, create, and solve problems. Resistance to perspective  
transformation is common, even among students who are motivated to  
learn (Illeris, 2003). For this reason, instructors who wish to  
facilitate transformative learning must create an environment that  
encourages and rewards intellectual openness (Taylor, 1998).

Teaching Strategies

The content of your teaching will necessarily make some strategies  
more suitable than others, but instructors of any field can make  
intentional use of transformative learning theory. Below, we consider  
strategies for each process involved in transformative learning and  
offer examples of what Stanford faculty members are doing to bring  
these strategies into their classrooms.

The Activating Event
The activating event can be anything that triggers students to  
examine their thinking and the possible limitations of their  
understanding:

* Understand your students' backgrounds. To create an effective  
critical event, you must anticipate what students believe and know.  
Invest some time at the beginning of each quarter to learn about  
students' backgrounds. In addition to basic classroom interactions,  
anonymous pre-tests, surveys, and early graded or non- graded  
assignments can all be effective tools.

* Provide conflicting viewpoints. Conflicting perspectives can  
motivate students to examine their own perspectives. You can provide  
these viewpoints in readings or in the classroom.

* Create a disorienting dilemma. Specifically, challenge what  
students believe. You can do this with a case study, quote,  
experiment, picture, demonstration, or story that does not fit their  
expectations. The goal is to confuse and intrigue students and thus  
increase their motivation to learn whatever you will be presenting in  
class.

* Set students up for failure. Failure-driven approaches to teaching  
recognize that students are most motivated to learn when their  
current knowledge is insufficient to solve an interesting problem.  
When students reach a problem- solving impasse, they should recognize  
that new information or a new approach is needed. It is not enough to  
hand students an unsolvable problem; you must convince them that the  
impasse can be resolved and create conditions that encourage their  
success. Instructors can present the missing piece in many ways; from  
a simple explanation to helping students derive an idea or approach  
themselves.

Identifying Current Assumptions
The best strategies for helping students identify their current  
assumptions all require that students explain their thinking:

* Use a critical questioning technique. Ask students to explain their  
reasoning and the reasons behind their reasoning. Help students  
identify their assumptions by offering counterexamples, alternative  
scenarios, or differing perspectives.

* Ask students to make a prediction about an experiment, event, or  
procedure. Have students explain their predictions, in discussion or  
as a quickly written exercise. This can be particularly effective  
when the actual outcome will provide a disorienting dilemma.

* Have students talk through their thinking or problem-solving  
strategy. This is particularly helpful if you use a failure-driven  
approach as the critical event. Give students a challenging question  
or problem and have them talk through the thought process. This can  
be done with partners, small groups, or through direct interaction  
between student and instructor.

* Ask students to evaluate a specific position, solution, or reading  
and justify their critique. This can be done as a small group  
discussion or as a written assignment. If you provide conflicting  
readings or alternative solutions, ask students to defend one and  
provide in-depth reasoning. Follow-up with a class discussion.

Encouraging Critical Reflection
Transformational learning is both a social and solitary process  
(Taylor, 1998). The most solitary part of transformational learning  
is critical reflection, which requires that students privately  
examine their current assumptions. Critical reflection is likely to  
occur outside of the classroom, as the student absorbs and integrates  
what happened in the classroom. Writing assignments are an excellent  
way to invite students to engage in solitary reflection:

* Ask students to keep a class journal of questions, observations,  
and experiences. Encourage students to keep track of "Aha!" moments  
(when they suddenly understood a new concept or viewpoint), as well  
as conflict and confusion. To encourage participation, you can give  
students five minutes at the end of each class to write in their  
journals. At various times in the quarter, have students turn the  
journal in or exchange journals with a classmate.

* Ask students to respond to a specific class experience or reading.  
Provide a set of semi-structured questions to guide their  
reflection . For example, what surprised you and why? How does this  
experience/reading conflict with your previous experience or  
understanding about the subject? Does this experience/reading change  
your thinking about it?

* Ask students to create a "perspective history" timeline. For any  
given topic, from critiquing art to analyzing the ethics of business,  
ask students to reflect on life experiences and academic experiences  
that have influenced their current perspectives. When was the first  
time they remember forming an opinion about this topic? What people  
and events shaped their assumptions? Have they changed perspectives  
over time? What people and events triggered this change?

Encouraging Critical Discourse
Critical discourse is the most social aspect of transformative  
learning. Create opportunities for students to reflect through  
conversation:

* When you introduce a new strategy, concept, or paradigm in class,  
ask students to analyze the approach and compare it with their  
previous assumptions. You can lead the discussion yourself or break  
the class into small groups for analysis or discussion.

* Make time during class for more extended periods of discussion and  
debate. Not all discussion is critical. For example, transformative  
learning is unlikely to occur when you allow students to use  
discussion to reinforce their existing perspectives or to persuade  
others of their viewpoint. All students need to have their  
assumptions respectfully challenged. You can invite a student to play  
devil's advocate-challenging everyone's assumptions-or you can play  
the role yourself. You can also ask students to explain and defend a  
viewpoint they disagree with. This will challenge students' thinking  
habits and bring to the discussion points that might not otherwise  
have been raised.

* Keep the conversations going outside of the classroom. Online  
discussion boards or email lists provide an opportunity for students  
to continue challenging assumptions and considering new perspectives.

* Group projects or study groups can encourage small- group critical  
discourse, especially when the assignment involves analysis,  
comparison, and integration of ideas, readings, or approaches.

Giving Students an Opportunity to Test a New Paradigm or Perspective
For transformational learning to move from thought to action,  
students need opportunities to apply new knowledge (Taylor, 1998).  
Create activities and assignments that empower students to apply new  
approaches with a high likelihood of success:

* Return to the disorienting dilemma or failure-driven exercise and  
have students approach it with their new knowledge.

* Give students one problem or assignment and ask them to approach it  
with multiple perspectives or problem-solving approaches. You can  
assign different approaches/perspectives to specific students and  
discuss the varying outcomes in class, or you can ask students to  
tackle the same assignment more than once.

* Create classroom exercises, such as role-playing or debates, that  
give students the opportunity to try on new perspectives.

* Ask students to observe and interpret events, experiments,  
readings, or experiences using their new knowledge. Journals,  
assignments, online discussions, and exams can all be used for this  
purpose.

Fostering Intellectual Openness

For transformative learning to occur, the instructor must strike a  
careful balance between support and challenge. Trust among students  
and the instructor is especially important in any course that uses  
writing and discussion as a primary strategy for critical reflection  
and discourse. On the other hand, Cranton (2002, p. 66) argues that  
although student empowerment and support are important, an  
"environment of challenge" is the central ingredient for  
transformative learning. Students must have their beliefs and  
assumptions actively challenged. Boyd and Myers (1998) recommend that  
instructors practice "seasoned guidance" and "compassionate  
criticism." Push too hard and students resist; push too little and  
the opportunity for learning quickly fades. To be an agent of change,  
you must understand the process of change and provide both the  
catalyst and support necessary for transformative learning.

Bibliography
Boyd, Robert D. and Myers, J. Gordon. "Transformative Education."  
International Journal of Lifelong Education, 1988, no. 7, 261-284.
Cranton, Patricia. "Teaching for Transformation." New Directions of  
Adult and Continuing Education, 2002, no. 93, 63-71.
Illeris, Knud. "Towards a Contemporary and Comprehensive Theory of  
Learning." International Journal of Lifelong Education, 2003, no. 22,  
396-406.
Mezirow, Jack. Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning. San  
Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1991.
Mezirow, Jack. "Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice." New  
Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 1997, no. 74, 5-12.
Taylor, Edward W. "The Theory and Practice of Transformative  
Learning: A Critical Review." Information Series No. 374. Columbus:  
OH: ERIC, 1998.

ATOM RSS1 RSS2